Ancient Ostia, new excavations provide precious clues to life in the imperial age

New archaeological fragments of objects used in imperial life and linked to cult rituals emerge from the excavations in the Sacred Area of ​​the archaeological park of Ostia antica.

The discovery, after the recovery of two fragments of the Fasti Ostienses that came to light last year, occurred during a recent intervention, implemented with CIPE funds, and aimed at the general redevelopment of the area for its upcoming reopening to the public with the restoration of temples and restoration of canalization which guaranteed the disposal of rainwater.

During the emptying of a well, located in front of the steps of the temple of Hercules, about 3 meters deep and still full of water, it was a large quantity of finds emerged, dating mostly between the end of the 1st and 2nd AD, very well preserved as they were immersed in an oxygen-poor mud. These are ceramics of various types, including miniaturistic ones; of lamps, fragments of glass containers, fragments of marble, burnt animal bones and peach stones, certainly used in specific sacred rituals within the archaeological area.

The discovery of burnt bones confirms first of all that animal sacrifices were carried out in the sanctuary (pigs and cattle, certainly), while the common ceramics, also bearing traces of fire, indicate that the meat was cooked and consumed during banquets in honor of the divinity. The remains of one or more ritual meals were thrown into the well, the last ones probably when its function had ceased.

Among the most significant finds discovered there is a worked wooden object, in the shape of a funnel or chalice, uncommon and incredibly modern, whose function is still to be clarified. In addition to the chalice-funnel, decorated with a series of light incisions and concentric circles inside (near the hole that passes through it), other other finds equipped with "interlocking" moldings and external ribs, which suggest reciprocal grafts and which overall refer to a cylindrical element vaguely similar to a tube.

The new finds were found in the Sacred Area, an important Ostia sanctuary built starting from the 3rd century BC near the spring called Aqua Salvia, along the ancient route of the so-called Via della Foce. Inside the complex, dominated by the mass of temple of Hercules and occupied by two other minor cult buildings such as the temple of Tetrastylus (or of Aesculapius) and that of the Round Altar, the priests predicted the outcome of military expeditions to the generals about to leave for military campaigns. It was therefore an oracular cult.

The research activity on the site was coordinated by the scientific manager of the intervention, Dario Daffara, while the exploration of the well and the excavation of the sediments were conducted by the archaeologist Davide I. Pellandra and Mario Mazzoli e Marco Vitelli of the ASSO Association (Underwater Archeology Speleology Organisation), a third sector body specialized in excavations and surveys in underground areas and places of historical and archaeological value.

Entrusted to the care of the Park Restoration Office, the woods are now being studied and will shed new light on the furnishings used in Roman sanctuaries of the imperial age.

"Ostia Antica is a marvel. It represents one of the most important archaeological sites of our Nation, within which there are great values ​​and above all there is a great history, the history of ancient Rome. At this moment in Italy there are many active excavations. In the Budget Law, we wanted to refinance the excavation activities because, in line with Article 9 of the Constitution, there is a need to protect but also to enhance. I congratulate those who are working on these excavations and those who allow very important testimonies to be brought to light, which are the identity geography of our Nation”, declared the Minister of Culture, Gennaro Sangiuliano.

"The restoration intervention proved to be a unique opportunity to study and deepen knowledge of the functions and activities that took place in the sanctuary: an important moment to do research in an area that at the time of its discovery, in 1938 -40, restored works of sculpture identifying Ostia Antica and which will be housed in the soon-to-be reopened Ostiense Museum: the statue of Cartilio Poplicola, the bust of Asclepius and the relief of the haruspex Fulvius Salvis with a scene of the 'miraculous fishing' of a statue of Hercules by fishermen from Ostia. Once again, research, in its various forms, confirms itself as a key element for combining the various issues related not only to the protection, but also to the valorisation and use of cultural heritage“, stated the General Director of the MiC Museums, Massimo Osanna.

"The restoration project of the Sacred Area, drawn up by Studio Strati and directed by the architect of the Park Valeria Casella, will soon allow one of the oldest and most evocative complexes in Ostia to be reopened to the public, allowing visitors to access the cell of the Temple of Ercole, hitherto forbidden. The floors of the nearby Temple of the Round Altar will also be relocated, the roof of which is also being reconstructed”, underlined the Director of the archaeological park of Ostia antica, Alessandro D'Alessio.

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